Corn-harvester



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. R. HOWARD. 001m HARVESTBR.

No. 434.273. Patented Aug. 12. 1890.

lmitmcoo'ea 814m 0 14 to z The news Finns 0a., PHOTO-THO wAsnmn'mu. u. c.

(No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet2.

D. R. HOWARD. 001m HARVESTER.

No. 434,273. 7 Patented Aug. 12, 1390.

Q RFne meo (No Model.) r v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' D. R. HOWARD.

CORN HARVBSTER.

No. 434,273. Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

- l vi fmwea 814mm p wzoz /lz W (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

D. R. HOWARD. 001w HARVESTER.

No. 434,273. Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

2 95 auom %/Z/E I Vention.

UNITED STATES ATENT 'FFICE.

DAVID RIDGELY HOIVARD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,273, dated August 12, 1890.

Application filed April 7, 1890. Serial No. 346,910. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID RIDGELY How- ARD, of the city of Baltimore, in the stateoof Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Corn-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

In the description of the said invention which follows reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a partly sectional side view of the improved corn-harvester, and Fig. 2 a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view or plan of the machine with certain parts thereof shown in section. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the machine, and Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8,9,10, and 11 are details of the machine.

In the said drawings, A represents the frame of the harvester, and B and C are the front wheels thereof. The wheel B has a broad face or tread, and is provided with spuds a, which adapt the wheel as a traction one, and thereby enables it to drive the moving mechanism of the machine. The wheel 0 has no ofiice other than that of supporting the machine in connection with the one B.

D is the main shaft of the machine, supported in suitable bearings, (not shown,) and to this shaft the Wheel B is fastened. I

The wheel 0 is connected to the shaft D by means of a ratchet-and-pawl mechanism, (denoted by b,) so that the said wheel may be turned back independently of the shaft D, as the machine turns a corner, so as to return. By this arrangement the machine may be turned in a shorter space than if the wheel 0 were permanently secured to its shaft.

The wheel D has a beveled gear E formed on its outer face, which is in engagement with a similarly-beveled pinion F on the shaft G, which is supported in suitable bearings c in the frame A. These bcarin gs are shown only in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

II is a stationary cutter-bar, and I a reciprocating bar, carrying fingers d. This cutting mechanism is of ordinary construction, and therefore forms no part of the present in- The reciprocating bar I is driven from shaft G, through the medium of acrank J and connecting-rod 6. (See Fig.

In order that the cutting mechanism may be thrown out of gear, or the machine adapted to run with the said mechanism inoperative, the pinion F is made to slide on a feather, (not shown,) and a handle f is provided, whereby the said pinion can be thrown in or out of gear with the beveled wheel E.

K is a spur-wheel with singularly-placed teeth, secured to the main shaft D and situated in about the transverse center of the machine, and in gear with a similar wheel L on a vertical shaft M, which is supported in suitable loearings (not shown) in the frame A. The shaft M is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in full lines in Figs. 9 and 10.

N is a crank fastened to the lower end of the shaft M, and 0 is a connecting-rod which unites the crank-pin g to the stud h on the cross-head I. This cross-head is fitted to slide on the bar Q, and in the rotation of the crank N it is moved forward and backward.

R R are flat bars pivoted to a lugt' on the front of the frame A, and S S are similarbars jointed to the ends of .the bars R and connected and jointed'together at j. This arrangement of bars forms a collapsible device which constitutes a gather-er, whereby the standing corn is drawn toward the cutters, and it is operated from the cross-head P, through .the medium of the rods k. In. Fig. 8 this collapsible gatherer is shown in both extreme positions-that is to say, in full lines when extended and in dotted lines when contracted.

A few stalks of corn are shown in Fig. 3 and marked Z.

T is an endless apron formed of two chain belts U, connected by strips m: The inven tion is not limited to the construction shown of this apron, as it can be formed in many other ways to answer the purpose for which it is intended.

The object of the endless apron is to carry the cut corn to and drop it in a receptacle V, whichis divided into two compartments 1?. and 0 by the partition W, which has inclined sides, as shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 11. The outer sides of the hopper may be inclined, as shown in Fig. 11 in dotted lines, it such construction be found necessary. These compartments are fitted with drop-bottoms p and q, suspended by means of chains 1' and soonnected to the arms t and u on the horizontal shaft X. (See Fig. 4.) A handle on the end of the shaft X is used to manipulate the arms 15 and u, and control the position of the dropbottoms of the compartments a and 0, as hereinafter described. The endless apron is supported by the sprocket-wheels a and b, and it is driven by means of a large sprocketwheel 0' on the main shaft or axle D, against which sprocket-wheel it rests. (See particularly Fig. 7.)

A and B are hinged poles to gather up corn that is down, and for this purpose their outer ends are adapted to be brought to near the ground, as is common in devices of this class.

O and D are bars having arms (1, adapted to rest in bearings 13 on the outside of the hopper V, with their rear ends bent toward the center of the machine and then down toward the bottom, as shown.

F F are curtains of segmental shape, formed, preferably, of canvas and secured to the angular ends of the bars 0 and D. (See particularly Figs. 4 and 5.)

G G are handles by means of which the bars C and D are reversed in position or changed from the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 4: to that illustrated in Fig. 5. A chain f serves to communicate the movement of the bar 0 to the other D, or, in other words, to effect a combined movement of the curtains with but one handle; but when it is desired to raise bar D to its full extent, as shown in Fig. 5, it is necessary to have a handle or bar G for each curtain.

The rear end of the frame of the machine is carried by a small pivoted wheel H.

I is the pole to which the draft-horses are yoked, and J is a seat for the driver, who also operates the various handles described.

WVhen the machine is in operation, the corn is drawn to the cutters by means of the collapsible gatherer before described, and out near the ground. It then falls on the endless apron T and is carried in an inclined position with the butts down until the upper ends fall upon the transverse portion of bars 0 and D. The butts then pass the highest point of the apron, when they fall to the two compartments of the hopper in two bundles, the upper ends of which lap, as shown in Fig. 11. \Vhen the hopper is full or contains a sullieient quantity of corn, the upper ends of the cornstalks are tied together at a point some distance above the partition IV and the dropbottoms p and q opened, when the stalks fall to the ground in the form of a shock. The curtains F are then raised, as shown in Fig. 5, which allows the machine to be driven from under the shock, which is left on the field.

In some cases it may be preferred to not tie the stalks together, but to discharge the same with their upper ends merely lapped or crossed. The drop-bottoms are then raised and the curtains placed in their original positions, when the machine is ready for the next operation.

It will be understood that a complete operation of the machine, as described, is performed in the time required for the machine to pass from one transverse row of hills to the next.

I claim as my invention 1. In a corn-harvester, a cutting mechanism, an endless apron to carry the cut corn from the cutting mechanism, a hopper divided into two compartments by acentral partition having inclined sides and drop-bottoms and movable devices, substantially as described, to prevent the corn from falling from the rear of the hopper, substantially as specified.

2. In a corn-harvester, a hopper for the cut corn divided into compartments with inclined drop-bottoms, whereby the corn is divided into two bundles which unite or are crossed at their upper ends, substantially as specified.

3. In a corn-harvester, a hopper to receive the cut corn, having a central partition with inclined sides and inclined drop-bottoms, substantially as specified.

l. In a corn-harvester, a collapsible corngathcrer which consists of a system of bars pivoted togetherand to afixed support, and other bars pivoted to the others and to a reciprocating cross-head, substantially as specified.

5. In a corn-harvester, the combination of a hopper divided by a central partition hav ing inclined sides into two compartments having drop-bottoms, and movable curtains to close the rear ends ofthe compartments, substantially as specified.

DAVID RIDGELY HOWARD.

\Vitnesses:

WM. '1. HOWARD, DANL. FISHER. 

